Gan-Based III-V Compound Semiconductor Light-Emitting Element and Method for Manufacturing Thereof

• US 20080217632A1
• Filed: 08/26/2004
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Goto, Osamu, Tomiya, Shigetaka
• Application Number:
  US10/569,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20080217632A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/96
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/06 within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2009 by using electron barrier layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3407 characterised by special barrier layers

Abstract

A GaN-based III-V group compound semiconductor light-emitting element having high light-emitting efficiency and high reliability at a light-emitting wavelength of 440 nm or more is provided.

A GaN-based semiconductor laser element 10 has a laminated structure of: a stripe-shaped convex portion 18 made of a surface layer of a sapphire substrate 12, a buffer layer 14 and a first GaN layer 16, and on the sapphire substrate, a second GaN layer 20, an n-side cladding layer 22, an n-side guide layer 24, an active layer 26, a deterioration prevention layer 28, a p-side guide layer 30, a p-side cladding layer 32 and a p-side contact layer 34. The active layer is formed of a quantum well structure including a GaInN barrier layer 36 and a GaInN well layer 38, and a planar crystal defect prevention layer 40 made of an AlGaN layer is provided on the upper surface or lower surface, or between both the surfaces of the barrier layer and the well layer. Upper portions of the p-side contact layer and the p-side cladding layer are formed as a stripe-shaped ridge 42 and a mesa 44 is formed in parallel with the ridge.

Claims

1. A GaN-based III-V group compound semiconductor light-emitting element comprising an active layer of a quantum well structure including a barrier layer made of GaN-based compound semiconductor and a well layer made of a GaInN layer and having a light-emitting wavelength of 440 nm or more,

wherein a planar crystal defect prevention layer made of an Al_xGa₁₋

xN layer (0.02≦

x<

0.4) having a film thickness of 0.25 nm or more and 3 nm or less is provided on the lower surface or upper surface, or between both the surfaces of the barrier layer and the GaInN well layer.

2. The GaN-based III-V group compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1,

wherein In composition z of the Ga₁₋

zIn_zN layer constituting the well layer is 0<

z<

0.25.

3. The GaN-based III-V group compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein the barrier layer is a Ga₁₋

xIn_xN (0<

x≦

0.1) layer.

4. The GaN-based III-V group compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein the barrier layer is a Al_yGaNI−

y (0<

y≦

0.2) layer.

5. The GaN-based III-V group compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein the barrier layer is Al_z1In_z2GaN₁₋

z1−

z2 (where Al composition z1 is 0<

z1≦

0.2, where In composition z2 is 0<

z2≦

0.1).

6. A method for manufacturing a GaN-based III-V group compound semiconductor light-emitting element including an active layer of a quantum well structure formed of a barrier layer made of a GaN-based compound semiconductor and a well layer made of a GaInN layer and having a light-emitting wavelength of 440 nm or more, comprising the step of:

providing a planar crystal defect prevention layer made of an Al_xGa<sub>1−

x</sub>N layer (0.02<

x<

0.4) having a film thickness of 0.25 nm or more and 3 nm or less on the lower surface or upper surface, or between both the surfaces of the barrier layer and the GaInN well layer, when forming the active layer.

7. The method of manufacturing the GaN-based III-V group compound semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 6,

wherein a Ga₁₋

zIn_zN (where In composition is z is 0<

z<

0.25) layer is formed as the well layer and a Ga<sub>1−

x</sub>In_xN (0<

x≦

0.1) layer is formed as the barrier layer.

8. The method of manufacturing the GaN-based III-V group compound semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 6,

wherein a Ga₁₋

zIn_zN (where Al composition z is 0<

z<

0.25) layer is formed as the well layer and a Al_yGa<sub>1−

y</sub>N (where In composition z is 0<

y≦

0.2) layer is formed as the barrier layer.

9. The method of manufacturing the GaN-based III-V group compound semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 6,

wherein a Ga₁₋

zIn_zN (where In composition z is 0<

z≦

0.25) layer is formed as the well layer and a Al_z1In_z2Ga<sub>1−

z1−

z2</sub>N (where Al composition z1 is 0<

z1≦

0.2, In composition z2 is 0<

z2≦

0.1) layer is formed as the barrier layer.

10. A GaN-based III-V group compound semiconductor light-emitting element comprising an active layer of a quantum well structure including a barrier layer made of GaN-based compound semiconductor and a well layer made of a GaInN layer and having a light-emitting wavelength of 440 nm or more,

wherein a planar crystal defect prevention layer made of an Al_x1In_x2Ga₁₋

x1−

x2N layer (0<

x1<

0.4, y≧

x2>

0) having a film thickness of 0.25 nm or more and 3 nm or less is provided on the lower surface or upper surface, or between both the surfaces of the Al_zGa<sub>1−

z</sub>N barrier layer (where Al composition z is 0<

z<

0.2) and the Ga<sub>1−

y</sub>In_yN well layer (where In composition y is 0<

y<

0.25).

11. A GaN-based III-V group compound semiconductor light-emitting element comprising an active layer of a quantum well structure including a barrier layer made of GaN-based compound semiconductor and a well layer made of a GaInN layer and having a light-emitting wavelength of 440 nm or more,

wherein a planar crystal defect prevention layer made of an Al_x1Ga₁₋

x1−

x2N layer (0<

x1<

0.4, y>

x2>

0) having a film thickness of 0.25 nm or more and 3 nm or less is provided on the lower surface or upper surface, or between both the surfaces of the Al_z1In_z2Ga<sub>1−

z−

z2</sub>N barrier layer (where Al composition z1 is 0<

z1<

0.2) and In composition z2 is 0<

z2<

0.1) and the Ga<sub>1−

y</sub>In_yN well layer (where In composition y is 0<

y<

0.25).